Nipple for baby nursing bottle



Nov. 15, 1960 H. W. WITZ NIPPLE FOR BABY NURSING --BOTTLE Filed Feb. 16.1959 INVENTOR. HEN RY W. Wrrz A-r-rYS Unite 2,960,088 NIPPLE FOR BABYNURSING BOTTLE Filed Feb. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 793,306 Claims. (Cl.128-252) This invention relates to improvements in a nipple for babynursing bottles and refers particularly to a baby bottle nipple whichneeds no separate valve.

When a baby is fed from a nursing bottle, the bottle is tipped or tiltedin a substantially inverted position, that is, with the mouth extendingdownwardly, so that the liquid baby food can flow, 'by gravity, from thebottle into the bulbous portion of the nipple. In the act of feeding,the babys lips squeeze the bulbous portion of the nipple andsimultaneously the baby sucks upon the nipple. By squeezing the bulbousportion of the nipple, the liquid food in said bulbous portion issubjected to pressure and said pressure tends to displace the majorportion of the liquid back into the bottle. By the sucking action,however, reduced pressure is established at the small feeding openingsin the nipple and a small quantity of the liquid moves through saidopenings into the babys mouth. The quantity of liquid delivered to thebaby per cycle of squeezing and sucking is quite small and requires thechild to exert considerable effort to satisfy his hunger.

To facilitate this feeding operation, it has heretofore been thepractice to furnish a valve in the base of the nipple which is in thenature of a check valve. In the feeding operation, when the babypressurizes the liquid in the nipple, the valve closes and preventsbackflow of liquid into the bottle and, hence, the liquid in the nippleis delivered into the babys mouth both by the squeezing or pressurizingof the nipple by the babys lip and also by the sucking action.Accordingly, an increase in food quantity delivered to the baby percycle of squeezing and sucking is materially increased.

Heretofore, such nipple valves have comprised an element separate fromthe nipple and usually comprised metal devices, frequently made ofstainless steel. The valve constructions being small and havingdelicately operating parts is relatively costly and, in addition,requires extreme care in cleaning.

The present invention contemplates a nipple which is so constructed asnot to require a separate valve and might be referred to as a valvelessnipple except that in its intrinsic construction, integral parts of thenipple function in the manner of a nipple having a separate valve.

Accordingly, one of the important features of the present constructionresides in the provision of a nipple which has all of the advantages ofa valved nipple but may be constructed at a materially reduced cost.

Another feature of the invention resides in a nipple construction whichrequires no separate nipple valve and, hence, eliminates the care andlabor necessary to keep the usual separate valve clean.

Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will beapparent from the accompanying drawing and following detaileddescription.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a sectional View through a nursing bottle having a nipple,also shown in section, embodying the concepts of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

States Patent 6 lii dflfi Patented Nov. 15, 1960 ICC Fig. 3 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 1 with the bottle tilted nipple compressed, as by thelips of an infant.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 1 indicates the neck portion of aconventional nursing bottle which carries threads 2 integrally formedupon the neck. A nippleretaining cap 3 comprises an annular flange 4which carries threads 5 engageable with the bottle threads 2 whichserves to retain a nipple 6 upon the mouth of the bottle. The cap 3 iscentrally apertured to receive the nipple 6 and carries an inwardlyextending annular retaining flange 7.

The nipple 6 comprises a bulbous portion 8 and a flange portion 9, thelatter resting on the mouth of the bottle and being retained thereonunder pressure by the capretaining flange 7 which may be drawndownwardly upon the nipple flange by the engagement of the threads 2 and5.

In order to vent the bottle, as the liquid supply carried therein isdepleted, the flange 9 is provided with a vent opening 10 which isclosed at its lower side by a tip' 11 provided with a slit 12. The upperportion of the vent opening 10 communicates with an annular space 13provided beneath flange 7, which, in turn, communicates with opening 14provided between flange 7 and the nipple 6. The latter openingcommunicates with the atmosphere and thus any vacuum established in thebottle may be broken.

The present invention, however, is not concerned with the specificventing arrangement shown and contemplates any suitable type of ventingmeans heretofore commonly employed.

The vital feature of the present invention resides in the configurationof the interior wall of the bulbous portion of the nipple andspecifically to the serrations or teeth 15 carried circularly upon saidinner wall intermediate the nipple flange 9 and the feeding end of thenipple. The nipple 6 is constructed of the usual flexible, resilientmaterial customarily used for baby bottle nipples, that is, a relativelysoft, pliant rubber or rubber-like material, and the serrations or teethare formed of the same material, being integral with the nipple.

The teeth 15 are generally triangular in section and are interspacedwith substantially reciprocal generally triangular spaces 16. In effect,a sectional view of the series of teeth and spaces, as shown in Fig. 2,resembles a sine curve on a circular axis.

The important considerations concerning the teeth 15 is that they be asflexible and resilient as the remaining portion of the nipple, which initself is flexible and resilient, and that the teeth 15, in section, besubstantially conformable or interfitting with the spaces 16.

The function of the serrations or teeth can best be explained byreference to Figs. 3 and 4. In Fig. 3, it will be noted that the bottleis tilted, as in the feeding position. In this position liquid baby food17 carried in'the bottle flows downwardly by gravity into the nipple.During feeding, the nipple, specifically the bulbous portion 8 thereof,is positioned between the lips of the child, and upon contraction of thechilds lips, the nipple is squeezed. The contraction of the childs lipsis essentially along lines connecting the childs lips and, hence, themajor squeezing force tends to flatten the nipple intermediate itslength.

In thus flattening the nipple, a quantity of liquid is entrapped in thefeeding end of the nipple, as shown best at 18 in Fig. 3. The teeth 15and 16 are disposed in the zone where the squeezing force of the childslips occurs and, hence, the opposite teeth and spaces are moved towardeach other. As the squeezing action proceeds, the

teeth 15 interdigitate, that is, the juxtaposed teeth 15 move into thejuxtaposed spaces 16, as shown best in Fig. 4, thereby substantiallyclosing communication between the feeding end of the nipple and thebottle. Further contraction of the childs lipsthereby pressurizes theliquid 18 and coupled with the sucking action estab lished by the child,the liquid 18 is discharged through small feeding openings 19 into thechilds' mouth.

To gain his breath, the childs lips relax and, hence, the resilientnipple returns to its normal position and a new charge 18 of liquidenters the feeding end of the nipple. The cycle is thus completed and isrepeated throughout the feeding period.

Of course, it is desirable that the teeth 15 be brought tointerdigitated relationship to close communication between the bottleand feeding end of the nipple with as little effort on the part of thechild as is possible. It has been found that the teeth adjacent the endsof the flattened nipple, as viewed in Fig. 4, are distorted when thenipple is squeezed. By the use of an odd number of teeth the hingingaction at the ends of the flattened nipple occurs by the exertion of theleast elfort. When this desired hinging occurs a distorted tooth appearsat each end and, hence, the upper or lower number of teeth must exceedthe lower or upper row, respectively, by one tooth.

Of course, the device would operate with an even number of teeth, but toeffect a complete closing of communication would require a greatereffort on the part of a child. Hence, although an even number of teethcould conceivably be used, an odd number is preferred. Further, thenumber of teeth employed also plays a part in effecting the effortrequired for a complete closing of communication. If too few teeth areemployed, the wall of the nipple becomes stiffened because the teethbecome too large and because the number of interdigitated teeth are few,complete closing can only be effected by relatively great effort. On theother hand if too large a number of teeth are employed, the side wallsof the nipple must be brought to very close proximity beforeinterdigitation occurs. This requires greater effort because to hingethe ends of the flattened nipple requires that the nipple material bebent around a small radius of curvature. As to the axial length of theteeth the same considerations obtainif the teeth are too long they actas reinforcing ribs for the nipple walls and, hence, said walls resistflexure to an undesired degree. If the teeth are too short, an adequatesurface area between contacting teeth may not be obtained.

These considerations, as to the number of teeth and their size are notcritical inthe sense that a predetermined number of teeth of specificsize must be used, but rather these considerations are factors only inthe efficiency of the device and with predetermined nipple material,conventional nipple material being satisfactory, anyone skilled in theart can readily determine the most eflicient construction.

I claim as my invention:

1. A nipple for a babys nursing bottle which comprises a hollow bulbousportion and a flanged portion for seating upon the mouth of a nursingbottle, a hollow feeding portion carried at the end of the bulbousportion, a ring of teeth carried on the inner wall of the bulbousportion intermediate its length between the feeding por tion and theremaining portion of the nipple, said teeth extending inwardly from saidinner Wall and being interspersed by spaces which conform in sectionsubstantially with the section of the teeth, said teeth interdigitatingand substantially closing communication between the feeding portion ofthe nipple and the bottle upon exertion of a squeezing force to moveopposite teeth and spaces toward each other, the teeth being integralwith the bulbous portion, and the bulbous portion and teeth beingconstructed of a flexible, resilient materiaL.

2. A nipple for a babys nursing bottle. which eomprises a hollow bulbousportion andfa flangedfportion for seating upon the mouth of a nursingbottle, a hollow feeding portion carried at the end of the bulbousportion, an endless ring of teeth carried on the inner wall of thebulbous portion, said teeth extending inwardly from said inner wall, theplane of the ring being transverse to the length of the nipple and beingdisposed between the feeding portion and the remaining portion of thenipple, said teeth being interspersed by spaces which conform in sectionsubstantially with the sectionof the teeth, said teeth interdigitatingand substantially closing communication between the feeding portion ofthe nipple and the bottle upon exertion of a squeezing force to moveopposite teeth and spaces toward each other, the teeth being integralwith the bulbous portion, and the bulbous portion and teeth beingconstructed of a flexible, resilient material.

3. A nipple for a babys nursing bottle which comprises a hollow bulbousportion and a flanged portion, a hollow feeding portion carried at theend of the bulbous portion, a ring of teeth carried on the inner wall ofthe bulbous portion intermediate its length between the feeding portionand the remaining portion of the nipple, said teeth being interspersedby spaces which conform in section substantially with the section of theteeth and being of restricted length relative to the length of thebulbous portion, said teeth interdigitating and substantially closingcommunication between the feeding portion of the nipple and the bottleupon exertion of a squeezing force to move opposite teeth and spacestoward each other, the teeth being integral with the bulbous portion,and the bulbous portion and teeth being constructed of a flexible,resilient material.

4. A nipple for a babys nursing bottle which comprises a hollow bulbousportion and a flanged portion, the wall of the bulbous portion beingthinner intermediate its length than at its extremities, a hollowfeeding portion carried at the end of the bulbous portion, an annularring of teeth carried on the relatively thin portion of the inner Wallof the bulbous portion intermediate its length, said teeth extendinginwardly from said inner wall and being interspersed by spaces whichconform in section substantially with the section of the teeth, saidteeth interdigitating and substantially closing communication betweenthe feeding portion of the nipple and the bottle upon exertion of asqueezing force to move opposite teeth and spaces toward each other, theteeth being integral with the bulbous portion, and the bulbous portionand teeth being constructed of a flexible, resilient material.

5. A nipple for a babys nursing bottle which comprises a hollow bulbousportion and a flanged portion for seating upon the mouth of a nursingbottle, a hollow feeding portion carried at the end of the bulbousportion, a ring comprising an odd number greater than one of teethcarried on the inner wall of the bulbous portion intermediate its lengthbetween the feeding portion and the remaining portion of the nipple,said teeth extending inwardly from said inner wall and beinginterspersed by spaces. which conform in section substantially with thesection of the teeth, said teeth interdigitating and substantiallyclosing communication between the feeding portion of the nipple and thebottle upon exertion of a squeezing force to move opposite teeth andspaces toward each other, the teeth being integral with the bulbousportion, and the bulbous portion and teeth being constructed of aflexible, resilient material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

